Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Under a Silent Moon - Elizabeth Haynes

Elizabeth Haynes writes crime thrillers - darn good crime thrillers. I've read and really enjoyed her previous three books and was eager to get my hands on her latest - Under a Silent Moon.

Haynes's first three books have been stand-alones, but the publisher's blurb lists Under a Silent Moon as the first in a new series.

The protagonist is Detective Chief Inspector Louisa Smith. Louisa leads her first murder case when a young woman is found dead in a small village. The case doubles when another woman is found dead nearby, in what looks to be a suicide. And there more than geographical connections between the two women. Can the crime be a simple as a murder-suicide? Nope......

Haynes lays out a meticulous trail for the reader to follow as Louisa and her team struggle to make sense of the conflicting clues and information they gather. Connections and tendrils are there - as readers we know a bit more than the police. And a single little sentence lets us see what might happen. I was quite tempted to peek at the last few chapters 'just to see', but managed not to. And really, you wouldn't want to spoil this deliciously plotted thriller by reading out of turn. Haynes kept me guessing as to who the guilty party might be for quite awhile.

I love British crime novels. The solving of the crime is done with step by step police work rather than guns drawn and blazing. It is this aspect that I really enjoy and Haynes does a phenomenal job. Her job as a police intelligence analyst brings so much authenticity and detail to all of her books. (The case documents of the crime in Under a Silent Moon are included as an appendix) And for those who want more, Haynes has written a great post on the technicalities of Under a Silent Moon.

The secondary storyline in Under a Silent Moon revolves around the personal lives of the team, notably Louisa. This was a great introduction to a team I hope to see more of. But, the private lives of the team figure significantly into the main plot as well.

"Elizabeth Haynes is a police intelligence analyst, a civilian role that involves determining patterns in offending and criminal behavior. She is the author of three previous novels: Human Remains, Dark Tide, and Into the Darkest Corner, which was selected as Amazon UK's Best Book of 2011. She lives in a village near Maidstone, Kent, with her husband and son." You can find Elizabeth Haynes on Facebook and on Twitter.

FTC Disclaimer:

Unless otherwise indicated, all of the books I review are either purchased by me or borrowed from the library. When a review copy has been received from an author, publisher or company, it is in exchange for a fair review and has no effect on my opinion of the book. There is no monetary compensation for reviews. All reviews are my own personal reaction to and opinion of the book.